


Cupcakes and Caramel

by crimson_violet



Category: Original Work
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, First Kiss, Hair Brushing, Huddling For Warmth, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22913467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimson_violet/pseuds/crimson_violet
Summary: Carlyle/Clement, saccharine fluffIn which Clem is a nervous little romantic and Carlyle is far too oblivious to recognize his own feelings. Featuring empath!Clement.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Cupcakes and Caramel

**Author's Note:**

> This is some shippy stuff with my ttrpg characters, nbd

**Clem**

Clement had only known Carlyle for a couple weeks now but he was falling in love dangerously fast. He didn't think it could be helped. Carlyle's sheer enthusiasm drew him in and wouldn't let him go. He chanced a sidelong look at his traveling companion and almost wished he hadn't. His excited smile, the way the light caught in his hair, the bounce in his step… Carlyle glanced over at him, catching his eye and gave him a soft smile. Clem almost tripped over his own feet. He looked away, willing the blush rising in his face to go away. Clem could usually tell quite easily what other people thought of him, that was a talent of his. He could sense their emotions at least. But Carlyle… did he? Could he? It was infuriatingly confusing. He could tell that the other man liked him and was happy around him, sure, but Carlyle kind of gave off that same feeling around almost everybody. And beyond that? Things became unbearably muddled.

**Carlyle**

Carlye had only known Clement for a couple weeks but Clem was fast becoming one of his favorite people. Clem could read so fast and he knew all sorts of fun things about history and ancient creatures, he drew the most wonderful and fanciful maps, and he made the best cupcakes, he really did. And he thought that the way the other man's eyes lit up when they found something interesting was kind of magical. Carlyle was determined to find more interesting things. He glanced at his traveling companion only to suddenly meet those startling green eyes, and Clem blinked, stumbled, and continued.

\-----

**Clem**

Clem's heart raced as he and Carlyle we chased down the corridor by… something he hadn't been able to catch a glimpse of, and then raced even more as Carlyle caught him by the arm and pulled him close into the small and dark space behind one of the building's columns. The mechanical roar of a huge machine passed by then, wind ruffling Clem's hair as he went. He didn't dare look up at it. As the noise reached its peak, he shuddered, the noise unbearable in his ears, overpowering all his senses. Or almost all of them. He felt his friend holding him close until the shuddering stopped. And then there was only quiet and darkness.

"Clement. Are you okay?"

"I'm - y-yes. I think so. I will be, at least."

"I think perhaps we need to be a tad more careful down here."

Clem looked up at his friend, and saw Carlyle looking down at him, arms still around him, and thought maybe he could stay there forever.

"Come on then! Lots more to see here, and now we can look at whatever it was that thing was guarding!"

Or not.

Clem could feel the emotions rolling off his friend: excitement, affection, concern. That excitement was  _ so _ infectious.

\-----

**Carlyle**

Carlyle coughed, yet again, and winced. He'd been sick for the past three days, and it was really throwing off his adventuring schedule.

"I can't believe this! I never get sick."

"Well you have done now." Clem was there with food and blankets.

"Clem  _ thank you _ . Sorry I look a bit of a mess…"

"Don't be ridiculous. Here-"

Clem seized Carlyle's comb from off the nightstand, and started to tend to his hair. Carlyle stiffened at first, feeling his friends hands in his hair and the comb hitting snags - he really was a mess, but he let it happen. But as the comb worked through the tangled, he started to notice it felt nice. It felt really good, actually, like, disturbingly good. Carlye felt heat rising in his face that he was pretty sure had nothing to do with his fever. He felt Clem's fingers run through his hair and-

**Clem**

Clem almost dropped the comb as he felt Carlyle's affection spike higher and more intensely that it ever had before.

Affection, affection, confusion.

"Er, Clem-"

Clem's hand shook, but he kept his voice steady.

"Yes!"

"Um. I don't want to get you sick too. Perhaps I should just wash it later when I'm feeling up to it…"

Oh.

"Oh. Um, okay! Sorry!" Clem scampered out of the room.

Affection and confusion radiated off of Carlyle after him.

\----

**Carlyle**

Fall was turning to winter and frost was crunching lightly under Carlyle's boots as he walked back to their tents to wake Clem for his shift at watch during the night. He approached to find that Clem was already awake and shivering in the cold.

"I g-guess my blankets weren't enough a-after all." Clem smiled ruefully.

"Gods, Clem, why didn't you say anything? You need to warm up!" Carlyle seized Clem's trembling hands in his own, and Clem shivered a different kind of shiver. "You're absolutely freezing!"

"I d-didnt want to bother you, I suppose," Clem muttered.

"Well forget the watch, it's a quiet enough night and you need to warm up right away! And we can share, of course."

"We can-"

"Let's grab yours, we can both fit in my tent. It won't be a problem!" Carlyle said as he brushed past Clem, gathering the blankets in his tent.

"O-okay. Right then."

Carlyle felt his friend next to him in the tent, warm and safe, but still shivering. He pulled Clem closer, and waited for the shivering to stop.

\----

**Clem**

They were sitting by the fire after having dinner, and before getting ready to camp for the night. Clem looked at his friend. The light of the fire was making his hair almost glow. Clem always felt like a bit of a coward next to Carlyle, but right now he felt very brave indeed. He reached out a hand and tucked a lock of his friend's red hair behind his ear. 

Affection, affection, affection. 

Their eyes met. 

Curiosity.

Clem must have been feeling more brave than he thought possible, because at that point he closed the distance between them. Their lips brushed one another. 

Affection, curiosity, confusion, fear. 

Carlyle froze and Clem moved back. Fear? He had never felt that from him before, not like that.

"I, I'm, I've never, I dont-" Carlyle was struggling.

Confusion, confusion, affection, confusion.

"Carlyle, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I shouldn't have- er, I shouldn't have done that…"

"No, Clem, I just- gods, I don't know. I've just, er, never done that before. It's all a bit much I suppose."

Oh.

"Oh. Um-" Clem wasn't really sure what to say.

"Do you mind if I try something?" Carlyle's head cocked to the side.

Curiosity, curiosity, affection.

"Um. Go ahead?"

Carlyle muttered something under his breath, a spell that Clem recognized. Shining sparkles filled the air around them, as his friend closed his eyes and sensed Clem's presence through the spell. His hands came down to rest on Clem's shoulders, maddeningly softly, and then Carlyle breathed in and he breathed out, and then he was kissing Clem. It was sweet and soft and chaste and Clem thought he might actually fall over if he wasn't already sitting down. His hand came up to tangle in his friend's long hair.

Affection, affection, affection.

  
  



End file.
